SPS 2026 Term 3
As CSIRO celebrates its centenary and CSIRO Education and Outreach marks 45 years of inspiring young Australians through STEM, STEM Professionals in Schools is looking ahead to another milestone: 20 years of connecting students with STEM professionals.
As we prepare for this exciting anniversary next year, we're focused on creating even more opportunities for young people to engage with STEM, particularly in rural and regional communities where access to STEM role models can make a lasting difference.
In this edition, you'll find National Science Week opportunities, partnership insights and practical tips to support your partnership and help inspire the next generation of STEM thinkers and problem-solvers.
Through her SPS partnership, Dr Kylie Hewson helped students discover the power of asking good questions. We caught up with Dr Hewson to learn more.
What motivated you to join STEM Professionals in Schools?
Whether they become scientists or not, science skills are life skills. Knowing how to ask a good question helps people think critically about the information and opinions presented to them, evaluate evidence, and form their own informed views.
What inspired you to write about the skill of asking a good question?
I saw firsthand how learning to ask better questions transformed the way students approached problems and challenged their own assumptions. Instead of jumping to conclusions, they became more curious, thoughtful, and confident in exploring ideas and expressing their own opinions.
What was the most rewarding part of the experience?
Watching the students work together to identify a real problem, investigate it, and then confidently present their discoveries to their peers, parents, and teachers. A highlight was watching the adults become the learners; asking the students questions and even seeing the school groundskeepers use the students' findings to inform how they might manage the identified pest.
Read Kylie's article, The skill of asking a good question, to discover how a simple observation on a leaf led students on a journey of inquiry and critical thinking.
We're seeking to grow STEM partnerships in regional and remote schools across Australia. If you'd like to make a difference in these communities, we invite STEM Professionals to express your interest or share this opportunity with others in your network. With virtual partnerships available, it's easy to connect with students no matter where you are based.
We're currently looking for teachers in Melbourne's western suburbs and across Queensland, particularly Brisbane's western suburbs and North Queensland, to get involved. Email stemprofessionalsinschools@csiro.au if you or someone you know could benefit from a STEM partnership.